★ 10 / 10
A fun and interesting view of real rural Britain
This film is class!! Perhaps a future cult classic. A zeitgeist of the times. Defo worth a watch, we don't see too many film like this made anymore. I love the…
This film is class!! Perhaps a future cult classic. A zeitgeist of the times. Defo worth a watch, we don't see too many film like this made anymore. I love the shot and the style in which it's filmed. Beautiful to see rural Britain shown like this. Considering the small budget this film stands up along side some much better funded flicks. Well done a joy to watch.
★ 3 / 10
Pinkerton_green
Oh dear, where to begin? Watching Straight Through Crew is rather like being dragged-blindfolded-into the woods, told you'll meet something profound, and then…
Oh dear, where to begin? Watching Straight Through Crew is rather like being dragged-blindfolded-into the woods, told you'll meet something profound, and then discovering it's just a particularly muddy puddle. David Campion, both writer and director, tries rather hard-but effort doesn't always equal accomplishment.On the writing
The plot is so minimal that "you could tell it on a postcard"-and yet somehow it still manages to feel padded. A group of friends, a rave, shifting dynamics, hidden truths... all set on Christmas Eve. It's almost as though Campion thought, "Let's borrow the trimmings of drama - substance, contrast, festival lighting - without bothering to flesh out what actually matters." We're left with character sketches rather than characters, glimmers rather than arcs.The "indie vibes" are on full, maybe even overcompensating display, with drug-use, haze, disorientation, and rhythmic music- yes, yes, these are often staples in films about hedonism. But there's a difference between using those elements to illuminate something and using them as a cover for thinness. Campion's narrative doesn't give us much to latch onto beyond whether people are high, emotional, or disoriented. Without a stronger through-line-without genuine stakes or surprises-these tend to feel self-indulgent.Then there's dialogue and relational dynamics: the scenes meant to expose truths feel very well-worn. Everyone has Feelings™ that emerge under duress; yet I struggled to care, because it all feels just familiar, recycled tropes rather than anything earned. If secondary characters are "captivating" or "compelling," it's less because the writing gives them depth, more because a good actor can bring more than the script offers. Too often, the writing retreats into mood over meaning.On the direction
Technical craft. Yes, one must give props to the lensing and lighting, Campion (and his cinematographer) clearly understand atmosphere; there are moments of real visual flair. But flair isn't enough. Like a well-dressed room with empty furniture. You can light a rave beautifully, but if what it shows you is a series of emotional clichés, the light only underscores how hollow things are.Pacing and rhythm. Directing a film set largely in one location (or during one event) demands tight control over pacing. Campion seems unsure when to let things breathe and when to cut. Some scenes drag, others feel rushed. The sense of progression is uneven. At times you're being asked to enjoy disorientation; at others, the film itself feels disoriented, unsure what it wants to say or where it wants to go.Tone. There is an ambition here-a striving for alt-Christmas vibe, for the 'rural hedonism' thematic thread. But the tone wobbles: it wants seriousness, it wants mood, it wants authenticity, and yet it also leans into spectacle. Instead of blending these, Campion often lets spectacle win, which undermines the emotional core that the writer side sometimes gestures toward but never firmly grounds.Overall
Campion is not without promise, but Straight Through Crew reads like the early sketch of a director still figuring out the weight of what he's showing versus how he's showing it. The writing needs sharpening: more specificity, stronger stakes, more depth. The directing needs calibration: balancing visual style with narrative clarity, mood with meaning.This is a film for those who adore ambience over narrative, mood over momentum. If that sounds like your cup of tea, perhaps you'll forgive its flaws. But don't expect to be moved; expect to be swirled around by light and noise, then dropped quietly, wondering what you've actually seen.
★ 10 / 10
Masterful emotional range and deft shifts of tone
peter-stead-740-486963
Let me tell you a story. I actually originally saw this film at Romford Horror Festival and was so impressed by it I asked Blazing Minds blog if I could…
Let me tell you a story. I actually originally saw this film at Romford Horror Festival and was so impressed by it I asked Blazing Minds blog if I could interview David Campion, the director for them. To me this is a raw and beautiful coming of age film in the style of American Graffiti but in today's world and, put simply, shows that you only need a great script, actors, crew and director and not a big budget. Watch this, you won't regret it. Quirky, vivid and, above all, honest.
80%
AUDIENCE
6.1/10
53
